Please present your label, when and where was it started, who is involved in its activities and what genres are promoted by it.
Hail. Mike here from Paragon Records. The label was founded by Jim Mroz in late 2000. It was started where we originate from which is Long Island, New York. I joined shortly after as a partner with Jim. At first it was just Jim and i, however Buddy Mayoka, and Greg Laymen were added shortly after and we worked as a four piece for the next 8 1/2 years. We have releases in almost all genres of extreme metal at this point. And we have even done a noise/ambient release also. We mostly specialize in black metal and death metal. However we are not limited to these genres. Now the label is run by myself and i have help from my good friend Brian Varney.

Tell us a few words on each or the most important releases of your label, and which of them are still available for purchase.
Well i really don't view our releases this way as they all hold a great deal of importance in their own right to me. However i can say our biggest seller to date is Darkestrah "The Great Silk Road" DIGI CD. Here is a list of all of our releases from the beginning to right now including their catalog #'s and a brief description along with their availability

PRG 33047 - AETHERIUS OBSCURITAS - VENTUS CD NEW!!! ATMOSPHERIC BLACK METAL AVAILABLE
PRG 39046 - KHORS - RETURN TO ABANDONED DIGI CD Pagan Black Metal AVAILABLE!  2 COPIES LEFT!
PRG 18046 - DIMNETIANON - COLLASPE THE VOID CD Black/Death/Ambient AVAILABLE! LESS THEN 30 COPIES LEFT!
PRG 39045 - KHORS - THE FLAME OF ETERNITY'S DECLINE/COLD DCD Pagan Black Metal AVAILABLE!
PRG 40044 - KOZELJNIK - DEEPER THE FALL CD Black Metal SOLD OUT!
PRG 39043 - ALDARRON - NOUS REVIENDRONS IMMORTELS CD Pagan Black Metal SOLD OUT!
PRG 36040 - SECTIONED - PURULENT REALITY CD Death Metal AVAILABLE! 2 COPIES LEFT!
PRG 33039 - AETHERIUS OBSCURITAS - BLACK MEDICINE/FEKETE ORVOSSAG CD Atmospheric Black Metal SOLD OUT!
PRG 38042 - FAUST - FROM GLORY TO INFINITY CD Death Metal AVAILABLE! 1 COPY LEFT!
PRG 37041 - SEGES FINDERE - BOUND BY HATRED 7" Black Metal SOLD OUT!
PRG 38035 - DARK CELEBRATION - PHLEGETON: THE TRANSCENDENCE OF DEMON LORDS CD Black/Death/Thrash SOLD OUT!
PRG 37034 - CRUCIFIER - TRAMPLED UNDER CLOVEN HOOFS 10" LP Black/Death/Thrash SOLD OUT!
PRG 40038 - CASTEVET - STONES/SALTS 7" Progressive Black Metal SOLD OUT!
PRG 17036 - DIAMATREGON - CROSSROADS LP Black Metal SOLD OUT!
PRG 39036 - KHORS - MYSTICIUM DIGI PACK CD Pagan Black Metal SOLD OUT!
PRG 36033 - ANAEL - FROM ARCHANE FIRES CD Black Metal AVAILABLE! 1 COPY IN STOCK!
PRG 35032 - DARKESTRAH - THE GREAT SILK ROAD DIGI PACK CD/JEWEL CASE CD Pagan Black Metal 1 COPY OF THE JEWEL CASE VERSION I9N STOCK!
PRG 32027 - VORKUTA/KRATORNAS - MONOLITHS OF ANNIHILATION SPLIT 7" Both bands Black Metal SOLD OUT!
PRG 34031 - UNDIMENSIONAL - S/T TAPE Black Metal SOLD OUT!
PRG 34031 - COPREMESIS - MUAY THAI LADYBOYS CD Brutal Death Metal/Grind AVAILABLE!
PRG 30030 - CELESTIA - FRIGIDIIS APOTHEOSIA : ABSTINENCIA GENESIIS CD Ethereal Black Metal SOLD OUT!
PRG 23028 - RIGOR SARDONICOUS - VALLES EX UMBRA DE MORTUUS CD/LP/TAPE Doom SOLD OUT!
PRG 26029 - BLACK CRUCIFIXION - PROMETHEAN GIFT CD Dark Metal SOLD OUT!
PRG 33027 - AETHERIUS OBSCURITAS - VIZIOK/VISIONS CD Atmospheric Black Metal! 2 COPIES IN STOCK!
PRG 32029 - ASH POOL - WORLD TURNS ON IT'S HINGE LP Black Metal SOLD OUT!
PRG 27025 - CHARNEL VALLEY - THE IGNEOUS RACE CD Black/Death SOLD OUT!
PRG 32024 - ASH POOL - BLACK BONDAGE IN THE NORTH 7" Black Metal SOLD OUT!
PRG 31023 - VORKUTA - INTO THE CHASMS OF LUNACY CD Black Metal/Ambient CD SOLD OUT!
PRG 30022 - CELESTIA - APPARITIA - SUMPTUOUS SPECTRE DIGI PACK CD Ethereal Black Metal SOLD OUT!
PRG 30021 - EYES OF LIGEIA - A FEVER WHICH WOULD CLING TO THEE FOREVER CD Death/Doom SOLD OUT!
PRG 26021 - BLACK CRUCIFIXION - FAUSTIAN DREAM CD Dark Metal SOLD OUT!
PRG 29020 - SKYFORGER - KAUJA PIE SAULES CD Pagan Black Metal SOLD OUT!
PRG 28019 - BIOLICH - THE SPACE BETWEEN HOME AND TODAY MCD Death Metal/Grindcore SOLD OUT!
PRG 27018 - CHARNEL VALLEY - THE DARK ARCHIVES CD Black Metal SOLD OUT!
PRG 23015 - RIGOR SARDONICOUS - APOCALYPSIS DAMNARE CD Doom SOLD OUT!
PRG 25016 - FROST - FRAGMENTS - EXTREME LONELINESS CD Atmospheric Black Metal SOLD OUT!
PRG 26017 - BLACK CRUCIFIXION - FALLEN ONE FLAME MCD Black Metal SOLD OUT!
PRG 24015 - IMPIETY - PARAMOUNT EVIL CD Death Metal SOLD OUT!
PRG 23014 - RIGOR SARDONICOUS - PRINCIPIA SARDONICA CD Doom SOLD OUT!
PRG 21012 - DECIEVERION - DESPODENT 7" Black Metal SOLD OUT!
PRG 20011 - ALGOL/SHROUD OF DESPONDENCY - WHISPERS FROM AN EMPTY ROOM SPLIT CD Algol is Atmospheric Black / SOD is Black/Death/Doom 1 COPY IN STOCK!
PRG 18009 - DIMENTIANON - SEVEN SUICIDES CD Black/Death/Doom SOLD OUT!!
PRG 19010 - ELITE - KAMPEN CD Black Metal SOLD OUT
PRG 17008 - DIAMATREGON - CHAROGNARD 7" Black Metal SOLD OUT!
PRG 16007 - VEDIOG SVAOR - IN THE DISTANCE CD Psychedelic/Progressive/Black Metal SOLD OUT!
PRG 15005 - PROPHELATION - PAVING THE ROAD TO OBLIVION PRO CDR Harsh Experimental Noise Industrial SOLD OUT!
PRG 14005 - THE FORGOTTEN/RIGOR SARDONICOUS SPLIT 7" The Forgotten is Black/Death / Rigor Sardonicous is Doom SOLD OUT!
PRG 14004 - THE FORGOTTEN - L'ALDILA CD Black/Death/Doom Pre-Dimentianon SOLD OUT

What are the most important features you look for in a band that is or has the chance to be signed on your label? 
Music, Attitude, Work Ethic,  and their has be something special to me that makes them stand out and have a feel and style of their own. 

How can a band get in touch with you? What should bands know before submitting their promos for your consideration?  
Email or snail mail. I answer all my mail. Hmmm... a band should know that i am really not signing anybody else at the moment however i would not want to discourage a band from getting in touch with me as you never know what the future holds. A band should also understand we are a small underground label and Paragon Records spread their releases worldwide mostly by trading. No big distributing deals and no adds in big magazines etc.. We have done all of this in the past and it has done nothing for sales and we do not have the money to keep putting adds in bigger metal magazines and paying promoters to promote our releases etc... when it does not generate any sales. 

What's the most important thing in the relationship between you and your bands? What is your label offering to its bands? 
Trust and respect.  Though the label is nothing more then a glorified hobby as a have a full time job that provides a living for me i still take the label extremely serious and i work very hard for my bands and also with maintaining the label itself inventory, mail, orders etc...  .I offer a very simple deal where i will press your album on cd or possibly vinyl to a certain limited amount of copies for either of the formats. And then i work very hard to trade them all over the world and make what retail sales i can. I also will get your album up on metal hits to be sold online. I have been involved in the underground for 20 years or so at this point and have a lot of great and loyal contacts. 

Is there anything you planned with your label and has not yet been completed?
If you would have asked me this question maybe 5 years ago i would say yes. However  at this point i have no plans that are not completed. It may seem a little weird however i just do not view the label like that anymore.  My biggest goal or plan is that i am able to keep it going and i have achieved that and will continue to achieve that. I will decide when the label stops not the other way around if you follow me. That is my only goal at this point. If something bigger comes my way for Paragon Records it would be great however i have no plans for such things anymore.

How does the future looks for your label? Any major projects you would like to share with us?
Not bad at all. Here are the future plans and also you will see the info about our tape sub label below as well.

Paragon Records...

Kozeljnik - MCD with bonus tracks - The Grim masters return! Expect them to drain you of all your being once again! Title to be announced.

Ulvdalir - Cold Breath Of Apocalypse LP Limited to 250 hand numbered copies!! Cold Black Metal by this mighty Russian cult! Includes a bonus track!

Also the vinyl version of Dimentianon - Collapse The Void has finally gone to press and will feature a new layout and also new cover art work by the cult artist Grimm Bane! Wait till you see this piece of abstract brilliance he has created for this release!!!! Their strongest release to date of black/death metal!!! This is a co-release with Nuclear War Now and will be strictly limited to 250 copies! Release date will be announced shortly.

and more releases to be announced...

We have a new tape label called  Hels' Trash Industries and is run by my partner in crime Brian Varney. It was just started at the end of 2011. Here is the latest news about it. 
Hels' Trash Industries is a division of Paragon Records that is interested in manufacturing and producing releases on cassette tape format. All pressings are done in house and will be distributed through Paragon Records' worldwide distribution. Artwork can be produced to specification or supplied by the artist for pressing. Hels' Trash is mostly interested in releasing styles experimenting with thrash,black metal and traditional but,is not limited to just those styles.

These are the first 2 releases below..

Midnight Hellion - The Fever Cassette is already sold out through us so please inquire via the band for a copy at drizzo@princeton.edu - Pure fucking Heavy Metal!!!!

BoneBreaker - Heavy Metal Attack-Warriors Of The Night Cassette is out and already receiving great feedback, get your copy at our web shop while they last!!! Thrash!!!!, Thrash!!!!, Thrash!!!!! 

next up fro Hels Trash Industries will be the legendary Skater/Thrash band from PA Common Enemy! Get the circle pit going and bust out the half pipe!!!!!! Release date and title will be announced shortly!!!

also this year...

Sectioned - Purulent Reality . The official tape release! death fucking metal!!!

Funeral Dust - Covered In Snow Drift.  From the cold mountains of PA comes the cassette version of one of the most dedicated bands to their craft!!! Black Metal for those who crave it done in the purest traditions!!!! Note: We have the extremely limited cassette version that the band made themselves on our web shop now! These will not last though so act fast if you want it!

more to come...

How can anyone get in touch with you? Please list your website, webstore and/or social media links.
SNAIL MAIL - PARAGON RECORDS PO BOX 879, MIDDLE ISLAND, NY, 11953 USA
E-MAIL - CULTM@MSN.COM

HELS' TRASH INDUSTRIES

Anyone interested do not hesitate we answer all our mail. Thanx to you Adrian and Pest Webzine for your interest and support to Paragon Records/ Hels' Trash Industries we greatly appreciate it. And remember keep metal sick and never loose heart!


March 2012


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